Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants in China

China: Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants was 1,763 Patents in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
1,763 Patents
Change on year
down 48.3%
World rank
5th
of 88 countries
All-time high
7,559 Patents
in 2018
All-time low
0 Patents
in 1978
Years of data
45
1978–2022

Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants in China, 1978–2022

02.0k4.0k6.0k8.0k1978200020221978: 0 Patents1979: 0 Patents1980: 0 Patents1981: 0 Patents1982: 0.5 Patents1983: 1 Patents1984: 1 Patents1985: 1.5 Patents1986: 24 Patents1987: 9 Patents1988: 10 Patents1989: 14.2 Patents1990: 7 Patents1991: 12.5 Patents1992: 10 Patents1993: 9 Patents1994: 17.5 Patents1995: 18 Patents1996: 20.3 Patents1997: 20.8 Patents1998: 26.5 Patents1999: 26.5 Patents2000: 56.8 Patents2001: 94.3 Patents2002: 129.1 Patents2003: 190.6 Patents2004: 256.5 Patents2005: 429.9 Patents2006: 765.9 Patents2007: 915.2 Patents2008: 1.2k Patents2009: 1.5k Patents2010: 2.2k Patents2011: 2.4k Patents2012: 3.0k Patents2013: 4.1k Patents2014: 5.0k Patents2015: 5.0k Patents2016: 5.7k Patents2017: 6.8k Patents2018: 7.6k Patents2019: 7.0k Patents2020: 5.9k Patents2021: 3.4k Patents2022: 1.8k Patents

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Patents.

Analysis

In 2022, patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants in China stood at 1,763 Patents.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 48.3% on the previous year and down 40.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants in China peaked at 7,559 Patents in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0 Patents, in 1978.

China ranks 5th of 88 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants in China, year by year

Annual values for Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants in China, 1978 to 2022.
Year Patents Change
1978 0 Patents —
1979 0 Patents —
1980 0 Patents —
1981 0 Patents —
1982 0.5 Patents —
1983 1 Patents +100.0%
1984 1 Patents +0.0%
1985 1.5 Patents +50.0%
1986 24 Patents +1500.0%
1987 9 Patents -62.5%
1988 10 Patents +11.1%
1989 14.17 Patents +41.7%
1990 7 Patents -50.6%
1991 12.5 Patents +78.6%
1992 10 Patents -20.0%
1993 9 Patents -10.0%
1994 17.5 Patents +94.4%
1995 18 Patents +2.9%
1996 20.33 Patents +13.0%
1997 20.83 Patents +2.5%
1998 26.5 Patents +27.2%
1999 26.5 Patents +0.0%
2000 56.83 Patents +114.5%
2001 94.27 Patents +65.9%
2002 129.08 Patents +36.9%
2003 190.58 Patents +47.6%
2004 256.53 Patents +34.6%
2005 429.87 Patents +67.6%
2006 765.92 Patents +78.2%
2007 915.25 Patents +19.5%
2008 1,226 Patents +34.0%
2009 1,530 Patents +24.8%
2010 2,241 Patents +46.5%
2011 2,389 Patents +6.6%
2012 2,980 Patents +24.7%
2013 4,087 Patents +37.1%
2014 4,969 Patents +21.6%
2015 5,047 Patents +1.6%
2016 5,657 Patents +12.1%
2017 6,788 Patents +20.0%
2018 7,559 Patents +11.4%
2019 6,979 Patents -7.7%
2020 5,910 Patents -15.3%
2021 3,409 Patents -42.3%
2022 1,763 Patents -48.3%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 1,763 Patents is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.75 Patents, 641.0× the median. (12 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1986 +1500.0% 1.5 Patents 24 Patents

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0 Patents 0 Patents 0 Patents 2
1980s 6.12 Patents 0 Patents 24 Patents 10
1990s 16.82 Patents 7 Patents 26.5 Patents 10
2000s 559.43 Patents 56.83 Patents 1,530 Patents 10
2010s 4,870 Patents 2,241 Patents 7,559 Patents 10
2020s 3,694 Patents 1,763 Patents 5,910 Patents 3

Countries ranked near China

  1. 2 Germany 5,128 Patents compare
  2. 3 Netherlands 833.5 Patents compare
  3. 3 France 2,410 Patents compare
  4. 4 Japan 2,344 Patents compare
  5. 4 United Kingdom 667.92 Patents compare
  6. 5 Poland 114.33 Patents compare
  7. 6 Türkiye 56 Patents compare
  8. 6 Italy 1,634 Patents compare
  9. 7 Slovenia 29 Patents compare
  10. 7 Switzerland 1,210 Patents compare
  11. 8 Latvia 11 Patents compare
  12. 8 Lithuania 11 Patents compare
  13. 8 Sweden 616 Patents compare

See the full ranking of 104 places →

More science & technology data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants in China?
Patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants in China was 1,763 Patents in 2022, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 7,559 Patents in 2018.
What is the lowest patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 0 Patents in 1978.
How does China rank for patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants?
China ranks 5th out of 88 countries with data for 2022.
Is patents in oecd selected technologies — patent grants rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 40.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants in China. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 06 October 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/patents-in-oecd-selected-technologies-patent-grants/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent grants
Unit
Patents
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
104 places, 4,680 data points, 1978–2022
Last refreshed

Patent counts by technology (including total patents, estimated total patents for latest years): EPO, USPTO, PCT and Patent Families indicators are presented for selected technology domains such as ICT, Artificial Intelligence, nanotechnology, biotechnology as well as environment-related and health-related technologies.